November 2002 - Air-L - lists.aoir.org

Re: Conference papers online
by Bram Dov Abramson 04 Nov '02

04 Nov '02

>Interesting idea, but how do we solve the free rider problem? I think there are two questions on the table. One is as to feasability -- whether or not papers can be made available online to non-AoIR members, without coercing anyone. The other is as to desireability -- whether or not it's wise to do so. 1) I addressed the first, not the second: >Despite some assertions on this list to the contrary, it takes Work >to put papers online or on a CD. Yup. Far as I understand, Work is already undertaken to put papers online, in a manner that allows AoIR members to look at them. How much extra work is required to allow non-AoIR members to look at some of them, where the authors have so designated? Well, there are a lot of variables, but it's certainly a rather different proposition than starting from scratch. 2) Now, whether or not doing this unspecified amount of extra Work is a, uh, Good Thing -- that's quite different. You write: >To add on to the Work and the expense without contributing dues to the clube ... and so the assumption is that, were some papers available widely and some only to members -- instead of all papers available only to members -- less people would contribute dues. I think you may be right. Others might disagree, and point to give-some-away-for-free as a strategy that's worked better than don't-show-anything for pay-for-content sites. Which may or may not be a valid point of comparison. The point being, the question of whether or not this is a Good Thing is much more interesting than whether or not it's a do-able thing. If authors are already submitting papers for publication online behind a password-protected site, then allowing authors to bring some of their papers out in front of the point of authentication is do-able. Being do-able doesn't mean it's what should be done, but let's separate the two. So, facilitating a public archive of AoIR conference papers on behalf of their authors, versus possible loss of the revenues required to be able to do that kind of facilitation... cheers Bram

1 0

Re: Weblogs in education
by JASON NOLAN 03 Nov '02

03 Nov '02

>Message: 10 >From: dca4(a)georgetown.edu >I'm having two of my classes use weblogs this semester. Students in one >class are keeping journals, writing about anything they desire, >http://cct723.blogspot.com. Another class is using them in a more >structured manner to answer weekly questions, >http://cct717.blogspot.com, then read each others answers. Please >browse, if you have a chance. > >Are others using blogs as an educational information sharing or >creativity device? Would love to discuss what you are finding. I'm >getting very mixed reactions from students, especially those asked to >journal. >Dorine > >Dorine Andrews I've been using them for a couple of years with grad classes. This year I have 20 students in a graduate knowledge media design program blogging, and just finishing up an assignment assessing some of the major flavours: blogger, Moveable Type, Live Journal and a Twiki (ya, it's not really a blog, but that's what they're doing with it.) If anyone's interested in having a look at the assessment assignment, here it is: http://achieve.utoronto.ca/twiki/bin/view/KMD1000/WebHome and the ongoing student work is at http://achieve.utoronto.ca/twiki/bin/view/KMD1000/KmdiGroup and I'll have their final projects up in a month. This may be of interest to researchers and educators wondering why they would choose one web log implimentation over another. Along with a buddy, I also have 30 undergrads studying writer critics (Sidney, Dryden, Arnold, Wordsworth & Elliot) who are blogging in place of major written assignments. Visible at http://edublog.com/docs/kuin/ My research assistants also use blogs to organize data. Mostly Moveabletype, because of the category features. Students always hate to write. It seems. Blogger also seems to be the hardest for some students due to the design. Not that any of them are good. If you want to talk off list email me, or iChat (aka AIM): complicitytheory, or if there's interest from others, a group chat on my CVE. Jason -- ------ Jason Nolan, PhD Scholar in Residence Knowledge Media Design Institute Room7224 Bahen Centre for Information Technology 40 St. George St. University of Toronto Toronto, ON M5S 2E4 Canada --- mailto:jason.nolan@utoronto.ca phone:416-946-8513 http://achieve.utoronto.ca/jason/ *** Note New Address ***

1 0

Re: Conference papers online
by Bram Dov Abramson 02 Nov '02

02 Nov '02

zaphiri(a)soi.city.ac.uk: >I understand that it might not be possible to put this years' >proceedings online for free (for whatever copyright etc complications).. >but i think it is an issue to consider and make mandotary in the future ? jhuns(a)vt.edu: >but free and open >distribution must be the decision of the individual not an obligation >put on them because they participate in an organization or attend a >conference. I don't think this is an overly difficult problem to solve. For the AoIR Toronto conference, could the registration form include a checkbox? It could look something like this: Following the conference, please make my paper available to: _ any visitor to the conference Web site _ any registered AoIR member visiting the conference Web site _ noone cheers Bram

1 0

online publication of papers
by Denise Maia Carter 01 Nov '02

01 Nov '02

hi there everyone, what an interesting discussion about conference papers that is reflected at a more local level with my own experience. i am lecturing a 3rd level course at the University of Lincoln, uk, (Culture, Self and Technology) which has an excellent Virtual campus - some lecturers post their lecture notes there. I will not, for two reasons: - 1. any notes i work from during lectures require a considerable amount of work before publication on the Virtual campus. 2. i personally think that it makes students lazy - lectures are not the definitive answer on the subject - merely a taster to stimulate interest. I have seen students armed with lecture notes and the dreaded highlighter who are really not listening. my second experience with the same course, is mainly with online material. My students have been told by various staff members not to use internet resources as they are 'of dubious quality'. - now my background is that i am 'writing up' a PhD that is an online ethnography, and i work with online journals and articles as a matter of course. I will allow, and even encourage my students to do so too. so now you are all wondering what the point of this story is! well firstly, i recognise the huge amount of work that goes into producing online versions of work, and secondly, outside of our own little enclave of cyber-researchers there is still a large cohort that attach no value to work published online. We necessarily must live in both worlds, and while attempting to further our careers must use the 'regular' channels in which to publish. Hopefully the 'Real World' will catch up soon. regards Denise Carter denisecarter(a)denisecarter.net

3 3

discussion on free papers
by Philipp Budka 01 Nov '02

01 Nov '02

hi all, concerning the discussion why papers of the maastricht- conference are not freely available online, i just want to make some statements: first, i am not a member (because its too expensive, for a student); second, i dont think its a technical problem - of course it costs some time, but creating pdf-documents and putting them online ist not very difficult - it should be the same like it is currently done but without signing-in. third i guess the whole problem is an academic one: instead of working together, some are *sitting* on their work and results. but that leads nobody nowhere. ok, i am just an european student without real experience in the academic field, i can only guess how hard it is to get funds, etc. but that`s what the debate looks like to me. i hope nobody feels personally attacked. greetings, -- Philipp Budka email: ph.budka(a)philbu.net tel.: +43(01) 95 28 244 tel. mobil.: +43(0)6991 95 28 244 Rustengasse 5/10 1150 Wien, Austria +++ GMX - Mail, Messaging & more http://www.gmx.net +++ NEU: Mit GMX ins Internet. Rund um die Uhr für 1 ct/ Min. surfen!

8 8

FW: Video Games & Youth Violence - Examining the Facts
by Julian Bleecker 01 Nov '02

01 Nov '02

Peripherally related to the recent exchanges on video games and addiction. .julian. -----Original Message----- http://www.idsa.com/IDSAfinal.pdf Video Games & Youth Violence: E X A M I N I N G T H E F A C T S In the aftermath of tragic and highly publicized incidents of youth violence in recent years, the nation has discussed and debated the causes of youth violence and the steps that can be taken to prevent it. While the discussion has drawn out a broad diversity of views, each is rooted in a common perspective: a sincere concern about the problem and a shared desire to curtail it. Indeed, it is precisely because society¹s concern about youth violence is so sincere that we should be fastidious in debating its causes and consequences. That is the perspective from which the computer and video game industry approaches the important question of how its products affect young people; and how to balance the rights it has under the First Amendment with its responsibilities to consumers. The French journalist Georges Bernanos once said that ³the worst, the most corrupting of lies is a problem poorly stated.² Youth violence is a problem in this country, but its solution will not be found by ignoring facts, sensationalizing opinions, or pointing fingers. The fact is that youth violence has dramatically declined in the United States during the past decade, precisely the period in which video game use among adults and children has skyrocketed. Moreover, the most objective and methodologically sound studies have found no causation between game playing and violent activity. This document is an effort to gather facts and provide information about the computer and video game industry, the games it produces, the people who play the games, the scientific research on the effects of the games, and the extensive efforts the industry has undertaken to inform parents about the games they buy for their children. Everybody is entitled to his or her own opinions about the entertainment industry. But not to their own facts. We hope that by bringing important facts to light we can help correct some misperceptions about the industry and its games, and foster a public dialogue that addresses a serious issue with the seriousness it deserves.

1 0

Fwd: 2nd call, Infrastructures of Digital Design Conf.
by jeremy hunsinger 01 Nov '02

01 Nov '02

Begin forwarded message: > From: Olga Kuchinskaya <okuchins(a)weber.ucsd.edu> > Date: Thu Oct 31, 2002 5:46:27 PM US/Eastern > To: stsgrad-l(a)cornell.edu > Subject: 2nd call, Infrastructures of Digital Design Conf. > Reply-To: okuchins(a)weber.ucsd.edu > > Please forward to any interested parties - apologies for cross-posting. > > We’d like to inform you that the call for article abstracts and new > media art projects for the upcoming Infrastructures of Digital Design > Conference, hosted by the University of California, San Diego has been > extended to Nov. 12th. “Infrastructures” will be held January 31st-Feb > 2nd, 2003 at CRCA (Center for Research in Computing in the Arts). We > are seeking submissions from graduate students across the applied > sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities engaging emergent > discourses and practices of digital infrastructures. The event will > feature a keynote address by Howard Becker and plenary presentations by > Geof Bowker, Sharon Daniel, Ed Hutchins, Lev Manovich, Kate Rich, Larry > Smarr and Leigh Star. > > More information and online registration can be found at > http://infrastructures.ucsd.edu > > Sincerely, > > The Infrastructures Committee > infrastructures(a)ucsd.edu > > > > jeremy hunsinger jhuns(a)vt.edu on the ibook www.cddc.vt.edu www.cddc.vt.edu/jeremy () ascii ribbon campaign - against html mail /\ - against microsoft attachments

1 0